Electric-circuit controller.



I. M. ANDERSEN. ELECTRIC cmpun cbmnouen.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29| I914;

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

2 8HEETS-SHEET I.

a J. M. ANDERSEN.- ELECTRIC cmcun CONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED APR.29"19I4.

- Patented Dec; 18, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Zw I JOHAN M. ANDERSEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT & J. M.

ANDERSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A COBPO- BATION OF MAINE.

' ntncr'axdcmcmr conrnonnnn' Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

. Application filed April 29, 1914. Serial No. 835,824.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHAN M. ANnnnsnN, a citizen of the United States, residingin Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electric-Circuit Controllers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings '12 representing like parts.

closed position, until the operator has actuated the handle to move the locking mecha- 4 able handle.

nism into its operative or lockin osition.

These and other features of th1s invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one construction of switch provided with a locking mechanism embodying this invention.

Fig. 2, a plan of Fig. 1.

. Fig. 3, a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5, details of a' handle for looking and unlocking the switch as will be described, and

' Figs. 6 and 7, diagrammatic views to be referred to.

In the present instance, I have shown the inventlon as embodied in one form of switch, which is of known construction and comprises a stationary terminal plate or bar (1 may and preferably will be made as herein shown and comprises two cooperating members, one of which, is attached to the terminal bar 7 and the other to the free end of the movable contact member (1.

The member attached to the terminal bar f may be designated the stationary member of the locking mechanism, and the member attached to the blades d, the movable member of said locking mechanism. The movable member of the locking mechanism herein shown, comprises across head or bar 10 on one end of a rotatable cylindrical rod or bolt 12, which is mountedto turn in a cap or tie bar 13, secured to the ends of the blades 03 of the movable switch member, and

i ran STATES PATENT OFFICE-V f is provided at its front end with a substani tially flat head 15, having on its underside a socket or opening 16 for the reception of a erably provided with a substantially long handle 19 of insulating material, which rod is detachable from the movable member of the switch. The rod 18 and its handle '19 will be hereinafter referred to as the detach- The cross head 10 of the movable member of the locking mechanism cooperates with two fingers or hooks 20, on arms 21, extended from a back plate 22 secured to the termi-. nal bar 7' and constituting the stationary member of the locking mechanism. The

fingers 20, are separated from each other by a space of a width greater, than the thickness of the'cross head 10, so'that, when the latter is in its unlocked position substantially at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 2, the said head. maybe passed freely between the fingers 20, to permit the movable member of the switch to be moved into and out of its operative position. a

The'movable member of the locking mechanism has cooperating with it one or more springs 24, which are secured to the cap 13, and have their free ends engaged with the 3 head 15 of the bolt or movable locking mem-.

ber 12, to retain the latter in its operative and inoperative positions against accidental,

' movement. v

-. Switches of the character herein shown are frequently located on a wall or support latter and other persons, and the handle 18. 19 is made detachableto remove danger of the circuit being opened or closed by unauaway from the operator, to safeguard the as: rife-er thorized persons, and also because it is impracticable to have the handle permanently attached to the switches of this character under certain conditions. To make sure that the operator has turned the bolt or locking member into its operative position after closing the switch, provision is made for preventing the handle 18, 19 from being disengaged from the bolt 12, until the latter has been turned into its fully operative or looking position. To this end, the cap 13 has extended from it at one side thereof, an arm 30, which is arranged at one side of and below the longitudinal center of the bolt 12, and which coiiperates with the head 15 of the bolt, when the switch is closed and the bolt in its inoperative or unlocking position, to prevent the handle being disengaged from the bolt, as represented in Fig. 6. The arm 30 also acts as a stop for the bolt and limits rotation of the bolt, when the cross head 10 has been positioned behind the fingers 20, and for this purpose, it is engaged by a finger 31 on the head 15 of the bolt.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that w e n the finger 31 rests upon the arm 30, the cross head 10 is behind the fingers 20 and. the movable member of the switch is locked in its closed position. When the finger 31 rests upon the arm 30, the socket 16 in the bolt head 15 is on the underside of the bolt and in position to have the lug 17 of the handle extended into it. The arm 30 prevents further rotation of the bolt beyond the locking position of the latter as the finger 31 in the rotation of the bolt is brought down upon the arm 30. The stop arm 30 also serves to notify the operatortroller provided with. a movable member,.of

when the boltis in its locking position.

The operation of the locking mechanism may be briefly described as follows: Assume that the switch is in its closed position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and that it is desired to open the switch. The operator inserts the lug 17 on the handle 18, 19, into the socket 16, which is now on the under side of the head 15, and turns or twists the handle so as to rotate the bolt into a position substantially at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 2, and into its unlocking position, with the cross head 10 of the bolt disengaged from the fingers 20 and free to pass between them. The head 15 is now in' a position to present the socket 16 toward the arm 30, and thus confine the handle between the said arm and head, as represented in Fig. 6, and prevent the handle from being moved laterally sufficiently to withdraw the stud or projection from its socket 16 in the head 15. When the bolt is in its unlocking "position just described, sufficient space exists between the head 15 and the arm 30, to permit the handle 18 to be turned on the stud or projection 17 as a pivot, which enables the operator to pull the movable member d of the switch downwardly through an laterally away from the head 15, so as to withdraw the lug or projection 17 from the socket 16, and thus disengage the handle from the bolt.

To close the switch, the lug 17 is inserted into the socket 16, and the movable switch member (1 is moved upwardly from the position indicated by Fig. 7, into that indicated by Figs. 6 and 1, and when the switch member d is in its closed position, the handle cannot be disengaged from the bolt until the operator has turned the bolt into its lockingv in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the ed to lock the switch in its closed position be ore he can disengage the handle from the bolt. When the switch is locked in its closed position, it cannot be opened by the current when a short circuit occurs in the circuit in which the switch is included. 7

In the present instance I have shownone construction embodying the invention, but it is not desired to limit the invention to the particular construction shown, although it may be preferred.

Claims;

1.- The combination with a circuit conp'osition shown operator is thus obli means for locking said movable member in its closed position, rotatable bolt movable bodily with said movable member and provided with a cross head,

said means comprising a e rotation of said bolt in one direction, and a finger carried by said bolt and cotiperating with said stop arm, substantially as descibed.

3. The combination with a circuit controller provided with a. movable member, of

a rotatable bolt carried by said member,

means coiiperating with said rotatable bolt to lock the said member in its closed position, a handle detachable from said bolt and capable of being engaged therewith to effect rotation of the bolt, and means cooperating with said bolt to prevent disengagement of said handle from said bolt when the switch is closed and unlocked.

4. The combination with. a circuit controller provided with a movable member, of a rotatable bolt carried by said member and provided at one end with a cross head and at its other end with a socket, and stationary devices separated for the passage between them of the cross head in one position, and with which said cross head engages when the latter is in another position.

troller provided with a movable member, of a locking bolt carried by-said member and mounted to rotate thereon, and stationary means cooperating with said rotatable bolt to positively lock the movable member in its closed position.

6. The combination with a circuit controller provided with a movable member, of means for locking said movable member in its closed position, said means comprising a rotatable bolt movable bodily with said movable member and provided with a head, and a stationary device with which said head directly engages.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 5. The combination with a circuit coni JOHAN M. ANDEBSEN.

Witnesses:

JAS. H. CHURCHILL, 

